Process of aging leaf-tobacco



- (No Model.)

J. W. DANIEL.

PROCESS OF AGING LEAF TOBACCO.

No. 269,832. Patented Jan. 2,, 1883.

NITE STATES PATENT FFIQEQ PROCESS OF AGING LEAF-TOBACCO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,832, dated January2, 1883.

A Application filed May 1, 1882. (No mod cl.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that [,JoHN WESLEY DANIEL, acitizen of the United States, residing at Augusta, in the county ofBracken and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Converting or Changing New'lobacco-Leaf into OldTobacco-Leaf; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to theannexed drawing, "making a part of this specification, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements inthe method of treating leaf-tobacco, by which the same is converted intoold tobacco-leaf without changing the natural color, injuring itstobacco qualities, or losing any of its weight, and retaining itssweetness, thereby rendering it suitable and ready for any and allmanufacturing purposes, as will be hereinafter described, andsubsequently pointed out in the claim.

In carrying out my invention I construct or build a suitable house, A,as shown in section in the accompanying drawing, having one or morefloors, a, formed ofa series of timbers; or the floors may be slatted orconstructed of slats,

. as found desirable-or, in other words, open tloorsto allow a freecirculation throughout the rooms. Upon these floors are placed andsupported the barrels, boxes, or other closed receptacles B, containingthe leaf-tobacco.

Through the room of the houseA and through the side walls thereof passesa large sheetmetal pipe or flue, 0, the outer end thereot'extendingbeyond the wall of the house to carry away all smoke, 850. The pipeG isconnected with a furnace, stove, or other heat-generator, 1), locatedoutside the house A at a suitable distance therefrom.

The method of aging or treating the tobaccoleaf is as follows: Thetobacco is taken after it has been cured on the stock, stripped, andtied, and in a condition moist enough to be handled without breakingorinjuring theleaves or spoiling the tobacco, its condition being simplymerchantable. In such condition it is packed or prized tightly withlever-power in closed barrels, boxes, or other receptacles, B, afterwhich said receptacles are placed upon the open floors a in a closedroom or house,A. The

room or interior of the house is supplied with a dry-heated atmosphereby means of the pipe or line 0, through which the heat passes from thefurnace D, the heat being brought to about 85to 100Fahrenheit,andkeptthus constantly v heated for about five days, at theexpiration of which time all the fire and heatis withdrawn. At thisjuncture the tobacco-leaf is left remaining in the barrels, boxes, orother receptacles from about two to five days, in proportion to theweight or body of the tobacco, said time being necessarily consumed inabsorbing its own heat and in passing from its newinto the old state.'The tobacco may then be taken out of the receptacles, and will be foundentirely changed and transformed into old tobacco-leaf, perfectly sweet,not having become diminished in Weight, and not having lost any ofitstobacco qualities or having its natural color affected, thus renderingit suitable and ready for any and all manufacturing purposes.

By the employment of the pipe or flue extending through the house orroom, as hereinbei'ore described, the dry heated atmosphere is equallydistributed throughout the interior of said house or room, therebyrendering its effect upon the tobacco more uniform.

I am aware that leaf-tobacco has been colored, cured, and matured byWhat is known as the sweating processthat is to say, placing the tobaccoin a moist condition in a closed receptacle within a sweat-house, intowhich is introduced a moist heated atmosphere or' vapor generated fromwater; also, placing the wet tobacco contained in a closed receptacle ina hot oven; and therefore I lay no claim to such process. bacoo-leafcontained in the receptacle, and in place ofa moist heated atmosphere orvapor generated from steam I employ a perfectly dry atmosphere withoutinjuring the natural color or the qualities of the tobacco-leaf. Inplace of unpacking the tobacco while hot and re-pressing it in boxes, asheretofore, for shipment, I allow the tobacco to remain in thereceptacles within the closed room or house a certain length of time,whereby it will retain itssweetnessandtobaccoqualitiesmuchlonger, andcan be shipped direct to the manufacturers without the necessity ofrehandling or re- I do not wet or moisten the toprizing, the tobaccolasting much longer with out changing its color, molding, or spoiling.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

The method, substantially as herein described,of treating oragingleaf-tobacco, which consists in first taking the tobacco after ithas been cured on the stocks, stripped, tied, and packed ready fordelivery in the market, repacking it in closed barrels, boxes, or otherreceptacles, supported upon an open floor within a closed room or house,and afterward subjecting; the tobacco thus inclosed to an atmosphere ofdry heated air at a temperature ofabout 85 to 100 Fahrenheitand for aperiod of about five days, then withdrawing the heat and allowing theleaf-tobacco to remain in the closed barrels, boxes, or otherreceptacles within the room or house for a period of from two to fivedays, in proportion to the weight and body of the tobacco, for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

his JOHN WESLEY DANIEL mark.

Witnesses:

JOHN M. HARBESON, E. H. KrLPA'rmcKj

